Hitler’s Consolidation of Power

Question 1

When did Hitler become chancellor?

Answer 1

30th January 1933

Question 2

View of international press and Von Papen

Answer 2

Hitler could be tamed with only 3 Nazis in the Cabinet ; “within two months we will have pushed Hitler so far into the corner that he’ll squeak”

Question 3

What did Hitler demand before taking oath of chancellor and why?

Answer 3

Wanted elections to give himself veneer of majority of support (political legitimacy)
Had only 3 Nazis in cabinet

Question 4

Who were 3 Nazis in cabinet?

Answer 4

Hitler-chancellor
Göring - minister without portfolio and Prussian minister of interior (main Länder which gives him control of police in Berlin)
Wilhelm Frick - minister of interior (control of police everywhere)

Question 5

How does he initially tackle the Reichswehr?

Answer 5

Speaks to army generals who are not impressed that a mere corporal is chancellor - wants to win them over by persuading them that he will expand the army and do what the army wants (CHALLENGE TREATY OF VERSAILLES) ; Reichswehr could remove him through a military coup

Question 6

How does Hitler handle police?

Answer 6

Göring sacks 14 police presidents of Prussian towns and fires several subordinates on 17th February 1933 - local police are ordered to have good relations with SA, SS and Stahlhelm
Fusion of party and state => 22nd February they make members of the SA and SS auxiliary police so essentially have 50000 street thugs as assistant police legitimising Nazi terror

Question 7

Who were Stahlhelm

Answer 7

Paramilitary wing of DNVP

Question 8

When was the Reichstag fire?

Answer 8

27th February 1933

Question 9

What happened in Reichstag fire?

Answer 9

Young Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe was alleged to have set fire - yet possibly staged by Nazis themselves as several benefits…

Question 10

Benefit of Reichstag fire (popularity)

Answer 10

Seen as saviours protecting the German people from communist rebellions and takeover - once again igniting that fear of communism and stir up anti-communist propaganda

Question 11

Benefit of the Reichstag Fire (financial)

Answer 11

German industrialists contributed generously to Nazi funds as their fear of communism rose

Question 12

Benefit of Reichstag fire (Hindenburg)

Answer 12

Persuaded him to declare a state of emergency because Hindenburg was so senile - Hindenburg did so using Article 48 and put in the “decree for the protection of people and state” where all basics liberties had been suspended allowing Hitler to lock up people without trial (BASIS BEHIND HOLOCAUST) and ban opposition newspapers (ALL LEGALLY) - 28th February 1933

Question 13

Benefit of Reichstag fire (communists)

Answer 13

Before dawn 4000 communists had been arrested therefore elections on the 5th of March were not Democratic ; they still do not achieve majority (but vote has grown to 288 seats) and must form a coalition with DNVP ; used law to get what they wanted BUT WERE ALSO VIOLENT ELIMINATION OF OPPOSITION

Question 14

Day at Potsdam?

Answer 14

21st March 1933 - reassurance designed to reassure all conservative elites near a Garrison church where there was an empty seat for the Kaiser with the president and all leading generals ; traditional Prussian militarism and conserving values. Stressed Hitler’s respectability because of his acceptance by old members of government and continuity between Nazi party and earlier governments

Question 15

How does the day at Potsdam contradict Recishatg meeting at Kroll Opera House?

Answer 15

Although it gives a veneer of legality and satisfies the conservatives, 26 socialist deputies are prevented from turning up to the reichstag by the SA who intimidate all opponents in the building as well

Question 16

What was the enabling act?

Answer 16

Article 48 for Hitler for a 4 year period where he was able to make laws without the need for a Reichstag - makes him a dictator and undermines the Weimar Constitution

Question 17

How was the enabling act passed?

Answer 17

By 444 votes to 84 (all SPD voted against it)

Question 18

How did Hitler deal with Länder?

Answer 18

There is still opposition (like how Bavaria detaches itself from the central government) ; Von Papen had dissolved Prussia before Hitler got into power so it was continued - 31st March regional parliaments (Diets) were all dissolved except Prussia and they appoint all new ministers for each Länder to introduce Nazi policies - 14TH FEBRUARY 1934 REICHSTRAT ABOLISHES (ENDS IT)

Question 19

Idea of fatalism?

Answer 19

All of this is inevitable as it all occurred within 2 months of him becoming chancellor with no opposition - “nothing we can do”
Now a centralised nation with no federal body

Question 20

How did Hitler deal with trade unions?

Answer 20

ADGB (federation of trade unions) break with SPD in hope the Nazis will work with them - they celebrate May Day (1933 1st May) to invoke false confidence, but on 2nd May all offices are invaded by stormtroopers and banned
ABSORBED INTO DAF (German Labour Front) under leadership of Robert Ley ; they can control this organisation and no general strikes that could take place (like in Kapp Putsch)

Question 21

Why would it have been difficult to have a general strike?

Answer 21

Due to high unemployment rates because of Economy suffering which meant that their jobs were too unstable and could be replaced easily

Question 22

How did Hitler deal with SPD?

Answer 22

Banded them on 22nd June 1933

Question 23

How did Hitler deal with DNVP?

Answer 23

They dissolved the sled on 27th June 1933 due to sense of fatalism

Question 24

How did Hitler deal with the Centre Party?

Answer 24

In July 1933, Hitler makes a deal with Vatican and signs a concordat (bilateral agreement between country and vatican) so centr party disband and now there is no party to oppose Hitler

Question 25

When did Hitler ban all parties?

Answer 25

14th July 1933 - Germany now a one party state and when Hindenburg died (2nd August 1934) Hitler was legally able to combine roles of president and chancellor into that of Führer and the plebiscite he held made it lee acceptable

Question 26

Why did Hitler purge the SA?

Answer 26

1) Rohm was in readily critical of Hitler’s conciliation of the old government and the army - he wanted a socialist army made of the people (stromtroopers) ; socialist side of 25 point program made by Drexler and rohm feels Hitler has betrayed the socialist revolution
THEREFORE AS HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH GENERALS - THEY INFORMED HIM THAT MANY REACTIONARY ELEMENTS FELT THREATENED BY THE SA (auxiliary police)
2) SA were thugs bad for Nazi image
3) Goring and Himmker (personal view) - saw Rohm as a rival
4) Fear of army - Hindenburg could get the army to remove him in a military coup

Question 27

What is trigger for Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 27

Von Papen making a speech where he is critical of the violence of SA on the streets

Question 28

What happened with Night of Long Knives

Answer 28

30th June 1934 - 400 SA offices killed including Rohm, Von Schleicher and Gregor Strasser ; catalysed formation of SS as a political policing state

Question 29

What did Hitler do after the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 29

Legalised it on 3rd July 1934 by calling it an “act of self defence” - he could do this through his enabling act

Question 30

Significance of Night of Long Knives?

Answer 30

Tamed leftist radicals and gained support of the army ; conciliated the generals
2nd August - army took oath to Fuhrer when Hindenburg died ; chained itself to Hitler
Hitler gained acceptance of the legalised murder of his opponents which was threatening and the traditional institutions had all accosted his actions - he was supposedly acting in the good of the nation

Question 31

Abbreviation for consolidation of power?

Answer 31

PRNETANDA
Parliamentary control/domination
Reichstag Fire
New Elections
Enabling Act
Trade Unions banned
All political parties banned
Night of the Long Knives
Death of Hindenburg 
Army Oath

Question 32

(P) - when did Hitler become chancellor and what did people think?

Answer 32

30th January 1933 - general view is that he can be easily tamed (Von Papen believed this too) and infamous words of being pushed into a corner within 2 months ; Kershaw uses functionalist approach of working towards the fuhrer with Hitler’s meteoric rise owing to the inherent weakness of opposition than Nazi blueprint ; this underestimation of Hitler and lack of awareness was the start to his rapid rise ; they were taken aback and there was nothing anyone could do (sense of fatalism too)

Question 33

(P) - proposal of new elections before he became chancellor

Answer 33

Demanded new elections to give himself veneer of majority of support ; they needed some sort of plebiscitary backing to give him Legal power (only had 1/3 of seats) - very cleverly he assured them that this would not change the cabinet composition - element of CONTINUITY AND RESPECT TO TRADITION S

Question 34

(P) - strength of Nazi-DNVP coalition?

Answer 34

Nazi cabinet ministers had a lot of power - Göring was Prussian minister of Interior (no opposition invoked as it was VON PAPEN who had abolished the Prussian länder government/federal system) - sacks 14 police presidents and on 22nd February make members of SA and SS auxiliary police (Nazi control and intimidation on the streets) with 50000 members of SA SS and Stahlhelm (included DNVP wing keeping them content); LEGITIMISED STREET TERROR and FUSION OF PARTY AND STATE with KURT DALUEGE commissioner
Frick - interior minister of whole country
- Amicable terms with DNVP but held power over them due to mass support of people on the streets (not just aristocrats)
- Hitler had not sullied hands with Weimar Republic
Due to his power - when Hugenburg (minister of economics) pushed for complete ban on communist parties Hitler demurred saying it may cause a split in the Reichstag (very smart - Kapp Putsch was taken down in similar ways ; possibly an intentional ist approach now)

Question 35

(R) - why was the fire so important in terms of timing and how did Hitler capitalise?

Answer 35

Hitler exploited this whole incident on the 27th February with the Dutch communist Marinus Van Der Lubbe blamed for it - comes back to the “working towards the fuhrer” and Hitler’s readiness to exploit rather than having planned out anything
FIRE OCCURRED DURING ELECTION CAMPAIGN and therefore Hitler’s quick thinking helped shut down any underground resistance from the KPD and smash the left before the March elections (strengthening his position)

Question 36

(R) - effects of Reichstag Fire 1

Answer 36

• Nazis got credit for saving the constitution/country and catching the arsonist
• Stirred up anti communist propaganda which helped election campaign
• German industrialists and aristocrats contributed generously to Nazi Funds due to heightened fear of communism

Question 37

(R) - effects of Reichstag fire 2

Answer 37

• Hitler persuaded the senile Hindenburg (functionalist - happened to be senile) to declare a state of emergency which meant Hitler now had power to govern Germany through article 48 of Weimar constitution (without Reichstag’s consent) and on the 28th of February he passed his decree for the protection of the people and the state which indefinitely suspended the basic civil liberties of citizens so he could now legally arrest opponents without trial (undermined freedom) ; THIS WAS A TEMPORARY MEASURE THAT STAYED THROUGHOUT HIS REIGN FORMING LEGAL BASIS BEHIND CONCENTRATION CAMPS. He used emergency powers to ban 81 communists from taking their seats in election and he ILLEGALLY used violent campaign tactics too

Question 38

(N) - can the elections really be used?

Answer 38

They were not at all democratic due to the press censorship and 4000 communists arrested as a result of the Article 48 emergency decree from reichstag fire ; he legally arrested opponents but simultaneously used violent illegal campaign tactics BUT they still could only got 43.9% of the vote and not absolute majority ; could not achieve the 213 seats needed to alter the Weimar Constitution

Question 39

Significance of Day at Potsdam?

Answer 39

21st March 1933 - Potsdam Garrison church where the army and SA formed military guard and this was under Nazi flags and flags of the old empire. Meant to stress his acceptance by old members of government and continuity of Prussian militaristic traditions ; made Nazis look respectable in the eye of the people (especially those who supported the Kaiser) and reichstag members => ACT OF REASSURANCE COMSERVING VALUES

Question 40

(E) - what did enabling act do?

Answer 40

24th March - Enabling Act passed, giving Hitler the power to make up laws without consulting the Reichstag and it essentially tore up the Weimar Constitution (giving him Presidential Powers BUT HINDENBURG WAS TOO OLD AND SENILE TO STOP HIM) ; renewed the act in 1937
He was able to pass the act because he promised to defend Catholic interests and had banned KPD so bill was passed 444:91 with on,y socialists abstaining from voting

Question 41

(E) - crucial thing about enabling act

Answer 41

USED VIOLENCE TO GET ACT PASSED WITH SA IN KROLL OPERA HOUSE AND 26 SOCIALISTS PREVENTED FROM TURNING UP BY THE SA (ILLEGAL)

Question 42

(T) - how did Hitler abolish local governments?

Answer 42

All regional autonomy gone within 12 months
There was resistance in some Länder which was out down brutally by SA ; Von Papen had already dissolved Prussia before and now on the 31st March Hitler dissolves all other regional parliaments (diets) and appoints new ministers for each Länder to introduce Nazi polices - CENTRALISES CONTROL
This is finished when on 14th February 1934, Reichstrat (representatives of regional governments) dissolved and now federal system abolished -> IDEA OF FATALISM WITH OPPOSITION THINKING THERE IS NITHING WE CAN DO

Question 43

(T) - how were trade unions banned?

Answer 43

ADGB (federation of trade unions) break with SPD hoping this would protect them from Nazis but after May Day celebrations 1933, on 2nd May, all trade union offices are invaded by stormtroopers. DAF (German Labour front) now established under leadership of Robert Ley (organisation they can control)
NOW NO MORE THREAT OF GENERAL STRIKES LIKE KAPP PUTSCH - although admittedly very hard due to high unemployment rates (Nazis feared people had allegiance to trade unions rather than Nazis - ADGB had close links to KPD and SPD too)

Question 44

How did Hitler punish KPD members?

Answer 44

Sent them to Dachau which Himmler set up on 20th March

Question 45

(A) - how were all political parties banned?

Answer 45

SPD - 22nd June SPD banned and Nazis destroy newspapers and confiscate funds - caused DVP AND DNP AND DNVP to disband themselves due to fatalism
Wanted a one party state
July 1933 - Hitler makes a deal with Vatican signing a concordat (bilateral agreement) preventing mixing of politics and church THEREFORE centre party disband
14th July 1933 - all political parties except the Nazis banned and Germany now a one party state

Question 46

What was the Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich?

Answer 46

30th January - abolishes Länder altogether

Question 47

(N) - why did the night of the long knives take place?

Answer 47

• original 25 point programme had caused a split with Ernst Rohm leader of SA taking a more socialist route - concerned that Hitler wasn’t bringing about the socialist revolution and wanted a people’s army (led by stormtroopers)
• Army only institution that could topple Hitler in a military coup
• Rohm was driving away big businesses in fear of communist Revolution
• Many reactionary elements in the army were threaten by 2 million strong SA
• Hitler’s organised authoritarian state plan (intentionalist) and Rohms arbitrary intervention in local government meant he had to act ruthlessly which he did wjrb the night of long knives on 30th June 1934
  THEY THREATENED HIM TAKING CONTROL THROUGH LEGAL METHODS
• Tension of conservative elites (rowdy violent SA did not appeal to them)
• Personal basis Goring and Himmler
• Hitler wanted to ensure presidency once Hindenburg dies

Question 48

(N) - what happened in night of long knives?

Answer 48

SS killed 85 SA members including Rohm after trigger (Von Papen making a critical speech on Hitler at Manbhrg University - concerned about SA violence)
Von Schleicher and Gregor Strasser also die
SS took over brown shirts and were responsible for a lot of atrocities with Himmler leading them and they were committed to nationalist ideology - many people were quite relieved that SA were tamed

Question 49

Effects of Night of the Long Knives

Answer 49

• General Von Bloomberg publicly thanks Hitler
• German army had aligned itself behind Hitler and no longer feared the SA (2 million men) and leftist radical wing tamed
• SS grew exponentially in power with a rival army being formed from the Pretoria guard that it originally was
• Leads to army oath etc
• After event - Günter legalises the killings as an act of self defence (3rd July)
• Oppression helped catalyse jdea of fatalism within German people

Question 50

Death of Hindenburg (D)?

Answer 50

2nd August 1934 - now becomes Fuhrer and was legally able to combine roles of President and chancellor due to plebiscite which was held to make his actions acceptable ; won with 89.93% - 19th August - (combination of actual support and intimidation ; coercion and consent) ; now becomes direct head of armed forces too

Question 51

Army oath? (A)

Answer 51

Direct result of night of long knives - first established amicable relationship with Reichswehr on the 3rd February 1933 when he spoke to Reichswehr generals and won them over by persuading them that he will expand the army and do what the army wants (like Grover Ebert pact)
Reassured them that he will challenge treaty of Versailles
Now fast forward a year - army oath was an allegiance to Hitler personally and many seemed to have preferred suicide than breaking the oath ; now Hitler had neutralised all opposition
Replaced oath to condition and now oath marked umbilical moment where army chained itself to the fuhrer - all following the will of one man ; a total dictatorship rather than a traditional autocratic state